You know, it's funny. We went to war never looking to come back, but it's the real world I couldn't survive.

Tracy ,'The Message'


Natter 77: I miss my friends. I miss my enemies. I miss the people I talked to every day.

Off-topic discussion. Wanna talk about corsets, duct tape, butt kicking, or physics? This is the place. Detailed discussion of any current-season TV must be whitefonted.


Matt the Bruins fan - May 20, 2022 2:40:50 pm PDT #15252 of 29428
"You should never say bad things about the dead, only good… Joan Crawford is dead. Good.” —Bette Davis

In the space of the last 32 hours I've found out that the co-worker I was paired with on my main project is in the ICU, that my landlord is urgently trying to sell my apartment, and that Mom's brand new refrigerator is on the fritz yet again. Enough, universe! Take a coffee break or something.

In less stressful news now that it's done, I wrangled Little Meg to the vet Wednesday and she's now recovering nicely from being spayed, with a clean bill of health on all tests. Kudos to the two vet techs who managed to extract her from my car after she broke out of the carrier and initiated a game of whack-a-mole with us.


JenP - May 20, 2022 2:52:16 pm PDT #15253 of 29428

Oh, holy hell, Matt, that is too much. I hope your co-worker recovers from his/her/their ills well and quickly. Don't know what to say about the apartment... or the fridge. Well, I hope it recovers quickly, too. Yay for spayed, recovering kitty.


Jesse - May 20, 2022 3:39:39 pm PDT #15254 of 29428
Sometimes I trip on how happy we could be.

Oh no, Matt! That is a lot.

David, that is so, so sad. It will be good to be there for them.

That is a bummer for your niece, Trudy. So many people missing so many things still!

Good luck, lisah!! I wish you cold water.

I can't believe how many (fine) plans I have this weekend keeping me from the beach! Especially Sunday, but at least I'll be by the water where it should be cooler for a band gig.


askye - May 20, 2022 4:36:05 pm PDT #15255 of 29428
Thrive to spite them

The ring sounds beautiful!

Laura I hope you can get a/c soon and some relief.

David that is sad, I had a high school classmate that died right after he graduated it was .. very very sad when it's someone so young.

Matt that is a lot.I hope the universe treats you well.

Good luck to lisah!


askye - May 20, 2022 4:40:07 pm PDT #15256 of 29428
Thrive to spite them

So I'm playing minecraft on my regular server and I was helping a newer player , who told me "thank you sir" and I explained that I'm not a guy...and also an adult. I have a title of Queen for my rank but it shocked everyone to find out I'm not a guy. and they started talking about how awesome and stuff and I mentioned about the anniversary of the concussion and how nice it's been to have the server and them around and stuff... it was just really cool and then one of the teenagers gifted me with the top rank. It's a server donation and I was going to do it but haven't, it's not a huge donation but it's still.. I had mentioned my birthday is next month so it was a birthday present .

anyway I got a little teary eyed thinking about how awesome this group of mostly kids and teens is.


Laura - May 20, 2022 5:43:35 pm PDT #15257 of 29428
Our wings are not tired.

I'm working with a trainer at the community center, and she is awesome, and it's going well.

Well done! I was considering that even though I am leaving in 2 weeks, just thinking it would help with putting together a plan.

Niece is missing her her stage debut because she tested positive for COVID.

So hard. Too many NY people I know coming up positive. Fortunately vaccinated, but still way too inconvenient.

Wish me not expiring from the heat tomorrow during our big charity bike ride!!

I'll be cheering you on! Would you please post the linky because I don't remember seeing this year, but with my crazed life I would well have missed it. It is important.

Oh dear, Matt. That is a whole lot, but you made me grin with the Little Meg escape escapades.

That is so sweet, askye. My great nephew is big on Minecraft and has his mother and grandmother (my sister) hooked into doing it with them, but I fail to comprehend how he can watch so many hours of YouTube videos on the subject.

A/C is still not doing the thing, but we had serious rain today which has cooled things off to an incredible 72 tonight. Like free A/C!!1!


DavidS - May 20, 2022 11:12:28 pm PDT #15258 of 29428
"Look, son, if it's good enough for Shirley Bassey, it's good enough for you."

David, I'm so sorry. That is just heartbreaking beyond measure. It's a lovely gift, the photo.

It was a beautiful ceremony in a famously beautiful setting. (Bernard Maybeck's Church of Christ Scientist in Berkeley: [link]

There was music and some religious readings but mostly remembrances from Kye's parents and two brothers. His two brothers were so...wrecked. Their stories about Kye, their little brother, were so loving and specific and true, but their loss was so bone deep. They are working through it in a positive and affirming way, but the loss is so tragic and deep.

So we saw a bunch of Emmett's baseball past. Other parents I spent many months of daily contact with coaching. Other parents I traveled with to tournaments for years. And then the provisional basis of these relationships is over and you don't see them for 14 years. But you know them and they know you, and they watched your kids grow up, and they all knew Matilda as a toddler and wanted to see pictures of her as a teenager.

They were so happy to see Emmett. To hug him, to exclaim at his bigness, his evident manhood.

It was so strange and good and sad.


Jesse - May 21, 2022 9:42:16 am PDT #15259 of 29428
Sometimes I trip on how happy we could be.

Funerals are usually like that, in my experience, but especially in terrible circumstances like that.

I just put a deposit down on a tattoo that is way more expensive than I expected, but I think I'm going to do it anyway! (Note I have not priced tattoos in 20+ years.) Some flowers on my arm.


-t - May 21, 2022 10:16:30 am PDT #15260 of 29428
I am a woman of various inclinations and only some of the time are they to burn everything down in frustration

Ooh, more details on the prospective tattoo, please! I am pretty sure I am in favor of spending more on that. Art is always a good investment, right? Maybe not financially, but just in a general making the world a little better sense


Jesse - May 21, 2022 10:37:36 am PDT #15261 of 29428
Sometimes I trip on how happy we could be.

So I have a cross on my upper arm, and I'm going to get some assorted flowers around it. Pretty! I've always thought it was too small but didn't have a good idea of what to add until now.